A
advance reading copy
- A preview or early review copy of a book that is usually sent to book
buyers, reviewers, booksellers, book clubs, and/or publisher sales
representatives before the book is published. It could be in a different
format, uncorrected, not bound, and/or have a different cover design
than the publication issue. The typical publishing process is
proof, advance reading copy,
and publication. |
all edges gilt (aeg)
- All three outer edges of the
pages of the book have been trimmed smooth and coated with gold leaf.
|
Americana -
A classification of books and other objects having to do with American
culture, history, or folklore. Considered different from a book written
by an American writer, though an American writer can write an Americana
book. |
annuals -
Books that are published yearly. |
armorial binding
- A leather binding stamped with a coat-of-arms. |
artificial leather -
See imitation leather. |
as issued -
The book is in the original physical state that it was published in and
has all its original components including its
binding,
text block,
illustrations, etc. |
as new -
Refers to the condition of a book; it is immaculate and without flaws.
See also mint. |
association copy
- A book that was either owned by its author, owned by someone connected
to the author, or owned by someone connected to the contents of the
book. It can also refer to a book that was annotated by the author.
Proof of the association is usually in the form of some written notes. |
B
backstrip
- The covering of the book spine that has the title and author
of the book printed on it. It is usually made of cloth, leather, or
paper, and is sometimes decorated. See also
spine. |
backstrip label -
See label. |
bastard title -
See half-title. |
beveled boards -
See beveled edges. |
beveled edges
- A binding technique in
which the edges of the boards
of the book have been cut to a slanted angle. Also known as
beveled boards. |
binding - The
process that secures the pages or sections of a publication to keep them
in order and to protect them. Binding may be stapled or sewn, sewn and
enclosed in wrappers, or by
gluing the pages to the outer cover, but most often refers to a
hardcover binding. The art
of bookbinding has its own fascinating history; knowing the basic
chronology of bookbinding history can be an aid in dating undated
material and help in the detection of fraudulent material. See also
perfect bound.
|
binding copy
- A book that is worth re-binding; the book covers are in serious
disrepair, but the text is fine. |
blank leaves -
See blanks. |
blanks - Refers
to a blank page that is left intentionally in the book. It can be
located at beginning of the book, at the end of a clearly marked
division, and/or at the end of book. Also known as blank leaves
or printer's blanks. |
blind stamp
- A colorless impression that is embossed on paper or on a cloth or
leather binding. When it is found on a page, it typically signifies the
owner's name or the words "Review Copy." When it is found on the
binding, it is typically for decorative purposes. Also known as
blind. |
board book - A
durable book format that is used for children's books, in which all
pages are printed on thick cardboard. |
boards (bds) -
The front and back covers of a
hardbound book. The term originates from when book covers were made
from wood, but they are now typically made a stiff cardboard or
paperboard. See book anatomy
section for illustration. |
bonded leather -
A material consisting of two layers of leather and a lining attached to
each other by a chemical process or adhesive. |
book block -
See text block. |
book club edition (bc,
bce) - A book that was printed specially for a book club (e.g. "Book
of the Month Club") which usually utilizes a lesser quality paper and
binding materials. These
editions are usually available by book club subscription only and are
generally of little interest to collectors due to their low monetary
value. |
book jacket -
See dust jacket.
|
bookplate - A simple or elaborately designed label
used to indicate ownership, which is usually found pasted to the inside
of the front cover of a book. Bookplates were used as early as 1516, but
did not become popular in England, France, and Germany until the 18th
century. In America, they were not used before 1800 but have been fairly
common since about 1840. |
bright copy -
Refers to the condition of a book; a surprisingly bright or fresh copy
of an older book. It is as new and clean as the day it was published.
|
broadside
- A sheet of paper, usually of a larger size, that is printed on one
side only. Examples include songs, poems, announcements of sales, and
political declarations.
|
buckram
- An inexpensive stiff cotton fabric that is used to bind books. It is
often used in library editions
because of its strength. |
bumped - Refers
to the condition of a book; it refers to worn, bent, or rounded corners
of the boards of a book. |
C
calf -
Leather made from a calf hide or cattle hide, it is the most common type
of leather used for book binding.
It may be dyed nearly any color. |
cancel - A
publisher-authorized content correction that is made after a book has
been printed and bound. Cancels can be as small as a scrap of paper to
correct type, or as large as a page or a
signature to correct a
section. The corrected page or illustration is glued onto the page or
inserted into an already bound book. They are less common today because
of advanced computerized printing techniques, but were very common in
the 17th and 18th centuries due to numerous printer errors. Also
known as tipped-in. |
card covers - See
paperback. |
chapbook - A small
book or pamphlet, often a collection of poetry or prose. Previous to the
mid-19th century, the term was used to describe small books of popular,
sensational, juvenile, moral, or educational content sold by street
merchants, known as "chapmen." |
chipped - Refers to
the condition of a book; a mark or flaw caused by scuffing, gouging, or
breaking off of a small piece of the
dust jacket, pages, or
backstrip. |
chromolithography
- A printing process that is done by printing in colors from a series of
lithographic stones or plates. Noted for its fresh, bright colors, this
process was popular during mid and late 19th century bookmaking.
|
cloth -
A book that
is bound and covered in cloth. See also
hardcover. |
cocked - Refers to
the condition of a book; the spine
is no longer straight and appears crooked or twisted. Also known as
spine lean. |
cockled - Refers to
the condition of a book; the wrinkled, puckered, waving, or curling
condition of a page or of the
boards of a book, which is caused by non-uniform drying and
shrinkage. If the cockled page is made of vellum, the condition is
caused by humidity. In the case of paper or board, the condition is
caused by heat and humidity. In the case of book covers, it can be
caused by the use of the wrong type of adhesive or too much adhesive. |
collated - The content of the work, including all pages and
illustrations, has been
examined and verified that it is complete and in the proper order. |
colophon -
A printer's reference at the end of a book which usually gives the place
of printing, name of the printer, and other details about the book.
See also imprint. |
compartments - Ruled
lines forming a square border or frame on a binding, which is done in
gilt or
blind. Also known as
paneled. |
contemporary
- A term used to describe a work that was published within the last
decade or to indicate that all of the components of the book (the
binding, the coloring of
plates, inscriptions, and side
notes) were created at the same time the book was printed. |
cracked - Refers to
the condition of a book; there is a long narrow opening or break down
the spine or in the cover.
|
crimped - Refers to
the condition of a book; a grooved, indented, or pinched condition of a
cover or page, which is caused by extreme humidity. It can also describe
a bookmaking process that bends the
hinges of loose-leaf books
so that the pages of a book will easily turnover and lie flat. |
cropped -
The margins of the book have
been trimmed by the binder, usually too close to the text or into the
text. |
cut
- An
illustration that is printed on a text page. See also
plate. |
D
deckle edges
- The natural rough and uneven
edges of book pages when they have not been trimmed flush. The
binding of handmade paper
can also produce this decorative effect. Also known as uncut.
|
dedication copy
- A copy of a book specifically inscribed by the author to a particular
person. |
dedication page - The
page of a book that lists the persons and/or institutions to whom the
author has committed the work. It is usually located opposite the
copyright page. |
de luxe edition -
See edition de luxe. |
dentelle - A
decorative lace-like pattern on the inner edge of a book cover that is
inspired from embroidery and the decorative arts. This binder's
technique was used primarily in France in the 18th century. |
device - Refers to a printer's mark or
imprint that was used
primarily in the 16th and 17th centuries, typically found on the title
page or at the end of a book. Today the term can also be used to
describe a publisher's trademark or logo. Also known as printer's
mark. |
disbound - A book, pamphlet, or
ephemera that is lacking its
binding. |
doctored - A book that has been repaired, restored, or even
added to. Also known as made-up. |
dummy - A mockup of a
book that is created to represent the physical appearance, including
actual arrangement of the printed matter and
illustrations, of a
forthcoming book to book buyers. Modern trade publishing has replaced
the use of dummies with materials such as
advance reading copies and
uncorrected proofs. |
dust jacket (dj) - A removable paper
wrapper that encloses a book to protect it from dirt. Dust jackets date
from the early 19th century, but they came into more common use in the
early 20th century as a means to advertise the book to potential buyers.
Also known as dust wrapper or book jacket. |
|
E
edition - All copies of a book that are printed
from the same plates or one setting of type. An edition can have more
than one printing. For example, if 300 copies of a book are printed on
September 15, and 200 copies are printed from the same plates on
November 24, all 500 copies are part of the same edition. |
edition de luxe - An edition of a book that has been specially
printed and bound for its fine appearance. Sometimes refers to
limited editions with
special leather or decorated cloth bindings. |
edges - The top,
bottom, and un-hinged outer
sides of a book. |
embossed leather - A
leather which has been printed with a raised design. |
endpapers (ep) -
The plain white, colored, decorated, or printed paper that is at the
front and end of a book, one half of which is pasted down to the
binding. The
endpapers are used to
give a finished look to the binding.
|
engraving
- An illustration or
decoration printed from a metal plate or hardwood block. |
ephemera - Objects
which, in general, are fragile and not made to last for a long time.
Examples include, but are not limited to, magazines,
journals, paper toys, and
publisher promotional items. |
errata - A
list of errors and misprints in the text of a book. The list might be
printed on a bound page in the book or on a separate piece of paper that
is pasted or laid in the book. |
errata slip - See
errata. |
ex-library (ex-lib; x-lib) - Identifies a book
that was once the property of an institutional or corporate library.
Usually there are noticeable marks and stamps on the binding and/or in
the text. It may also have library card pockets, and it often shows
considerable wear and/or rebinding. For collectors, it is worth
considerably less monetarily than a book that has not been owned and
marked-up by an institutional library.
|
F
facsimile
- A copy that looks like the original
printing of a book but is
not original. Facsimiles can be a source of frustration to collectors
and booksellers but are acceptable for some institutional library
collections. The term can also refer to one or more pages or
illustrations that
have been reproduced or copied to replace parts of the book that are
missing. Also known as fake.
|
fading
- Refers to the condition of a book; describes the loss of color on the
pages, dust jacket, or the
cover of the book, which is usually caused by time or exposure to
sunlight. |
fair - See
condition guide. |
fake - See
facsimile. |
false band - A fake
raised band that is
attached directly to the spine
of the book or the hollow of the cover. This decorative element is
designed to make the book look sturdier than it actually is. |
festschrift - A book
containing a number of scholarly essays printed in honor of an
individual. |
fine - See
condition guide. |
fine binding
- An elaborately designed book; for example, a book that is bound in
leather with blind stamps
and gilt edges.
|
first American edition - The
first edition published in the
U.S. of a book that was previously printed elsewhere. |
first British
edition - The first edition published in the United Kingdom of
a book that was previously printed elsewhere. Also known as first
U.K. edition. |
first edition - The
first appearance of a work in book form. Every printed book has a first
edition but many never have later editions. When book collectors use the
term, they're usually referring to the first
printing and if there are
different states or issues, the earliest of those. See also
edition and
high spot. |
first edition thus
- An edition of a work that
postdates the first edition and contains some modification to the
work. The modification might be a new introduction, added
illustrations, new
supplement, new format, and/or a revision of the text. It can also
refer to a first edition of
the work by another publisher.
|
first U.K. edition -
See first British edition. |
first U.S. edition -
See first American edition. |
flex-cover - A supple
and tractable book cover. Flex covers are often used in conjunction with
spiral bindings. |
fly title - See
half-title. |
flyleaf -
The blank page or pages following the
front free-endpaper. |
fore-edge - The
outside edge of the book where the book opens (opposite of the
spine). Also known as
front-edge. See book anatomy
section for illustration. |
fore-edge painting
- A watercolor decoration, usually a scene or a geometric design,
painted on the ends of the pages of the
fore-edge of a book.
Traditionally, the pages are painted so the decoration disappears when
the book is closed and only appears again when the pages are fanned.
However, the opposite can also be true of a fore-edge painting; the
decoration can appear only when the book is closed. The tradition of
fore-edge painting dates back to the 10th century and reached its peak
of popularity in England in the latter half of the 17th century.
|
foxed - See
foxing. |
foxing - Refers to
the condition of a book; intrinsic to paper, the patchy
brownish-yellow spots that discolor
plates and pages of a book.
It is most likely caused by lack of ventilation and/or chemical
reactions between the paper and microorganisms. The spots are
generally found in 19th century books and can range from barely
visible to ruinous. Also known as foxed.
|
frayed - Refers to
the condition of a book; the unraveling of the threads or fibers of an
edge of a book cover that is caused by excessive rubbing. |
front-edge - See
fore-edge. |
front free-endpaper -
The free or loose half of the pasted-down double
leaf that is found at the very
beginning of a book. The other half of the leaf, the pasted down
portion, is attached to the board. |
frontispiece - An
illustration placed
before the first pages of a book that usually faces the title page.
|
G
galley - The
earliest printing of a work used by the proofreader and author to
check for errors. Galleys are often printed on long continuous strips
of paper. Sometimes the term is used interchangeably, although
incorrectly, with the term
advance reading copy. Also known as galley proof. See also
proofs.
|
gilt edges - The
edges of the pages of a book
after they have been cut smooth and colored, usually with gold paint.
See also all edges gilt.
|
a name="glassine">glassine
- A strong, thin, glazed, semi-transparent paper that is used to make
protective covers for books because it is, among other durable
characteristics, grease and water resistant. |
gnawed
- Refers to the condition of a book; chewed-on edges or corners of a
book. |
good
- See condition guide.
|
gouge - Refers to the
condition of a book; an unintentional nick or hole in the cover of a
book, or on its spine. Or in
bookbinding, a single-line finishing tool that is used to create either
blind or gold decoration on the covers but not on the spine of a book. |
gutter - The white
space formed by the inner margins
of two facing pages (near the spine)
in a bound book, journal, or
newspaper. |
H
half-title - The extra page, in front of the
title page, that bears the
abbreviated title of the book. In the days when books were sold as
unbound leaves, the half-title
served as a "cover" for the protection of the true title page. Also
known as fly title or bastard title. |
hardbound (hb) -
See hardcover. |
hardcover (hc) - A
book with stiff boards that is
bound and covered in either cloth, paper, or leather. |
headband
- A functional or ornamental band, made of colored silk or cotton, which
is fastened at the top (and sometimes at the bottom) of the
spine of a book. Originally it
was sewn into the boards or
leaves of the book to link the
sections together but in today's
binding process, it is often glued-on for decoration. The headbands
of the 12th and early 13th centuries were combined with a leather tab.
The conventional cloth or silk headband was introduced in the early 16th
century and decorative glued-on headbands were introduced in the early
19th century. Also known as heads. |
headpiece
- A type ornament or decoration appearing at the start of a section or
chapter of a book. |
heads - See
headband. |
high spot - A term
that is used to denote a highly regarded first or important
edition of a book. |
highlighting - The
bright pen markings where the previous owner marked the book to
highlight words, sentences, and/or passages of text. |
hinge - An inside or
outside joint of the
binding of a book, where the
spine meets the covers. It is
usually made of cloth and provides additional strength at the flex
point. See book anatomy
section for illustration. |
holograph
- A document or inscription written entirely in the handwriting of the
person whose has signed it. |
I
illuminated - A
manuscript or book
embellished with decorative elements that are typically hand-painted in
rich colors and are sometimes gilded.
The elements may include initial letters, designs, and/or pictorial
scenes. |
illustrated wraps -
See pictorial paper
cover. |
illustration - Refers
to any picture, diagram, portrait, or non-text item in a work, which is
used to clarify the text or for decoration. |
imitation leather - A
coated fabric, rubber, or plastic composition, or absorbent paper,
manufactured to resemble genuine leather. Also known as
artificial leather. |
impression - A set of
copies of a work, printed at one time, from one setting of type. There
may be several impressions of one
edition. Also known as printing, press run, or print run. |
imprint - Refers
either to the place of publication or to the publisher. The imprint
information is located either at the base of a
title page or in a
colophon at the back of a
book. The term can also refer to a printed piece from a certain location
or period of time; i.e., the university has a collection of 18th century
Massachusetts imprints. |
incunabula - A book
printed, with moveable type, during the earliest period of printing.
Commonly refers to books published before the year 1501. |
index - An
alphabetical listing of names or topics, with the citation of page
numbers, to facilitate quick reference to the contents of the work. The
index is located at the back in a book. For series and
journals, it is usually
published after the volume is completed and is usually found in the last
issue. |
inscribed copy - A
book in which a written inscription has been made by the author, to a
specified person. |
inscription by
previous owner - A written name, note, phrase, or comment made in a
book. Unless indicated otherwise, the inscription is not written by the
author. |
insect damage -
Refers to the condition of a book; the book's
binding or
boards show visible hurt from
insects. Examples could include paths where worms have burrowed and
spotting caused by silverfish. |
issue - A portion of
the printing of an edition
that has a different format,
binding, or paper. An issue, of an edition, is done intentionally by
the publisher and can contain various
states. |
J
japon vellum - A
smooth, glossy, durable paper that looks and feels a little like
vellum but is made from native
fibers and is produced in Japan. Most commonly found in fancy or
editions de luxe. |
joint - The exterior
juncture of the spine and
boards of a (usually)
case-bound book. |
journal - A
periodical or magazine, especially one published for a special group,
learned society, or profession. |
juvenile - A
children's book. |
juvenile picture book
binding - A sturdy style of
binding that is designed for books used by children. The
book jacket is usually a case. |
L
label - A square or
rectangular piece of paper or leather attached to the
spine of a book, containing
printed information about the book, such as author, title, and volume
number. Also known as backstrip label. |
laid in - Pages or
other paper present in the book that are not glued or sewn in. |
laminated - A thin
layer of plastic that is adhered to another material, such as cloth or
paper. |
large paper edition -
An edition of a book with pages in a larger format than those of the
regular edition. Typically these are
limited or
de-luxe editions of a work. |
large print edition -
Designed for people with poor eyesight, the words are printed in a
larger size than in the regular edition. |
leaf (ll) - A single
sheet of paper in a book. A page is one side of a leaf. |
leather bound
- A book that is bound and covered in leather. |
leatherette - An
imitation of grained leather, produced from a strong, machine-glazed
base paper. Many small prayer books, for example, are leatherette.
See also imitation leather. |
leaves - The sheets
of paper that make up a book. A page is one side of a leaf. |
levant - Elegant and
highly polished morocco
goatskin leather with a grain-pattern surface. |
library binding - A
book with a stronger binding
than the customary edition binding, and intended for use in a library. |
library edition -
Refers to a book supposedly or actually printed on a better quality of
paper and with a stronger binding
than the standard edition. It can also refer to an edition, series, or
set of books, produced in a uniform format, but this use of the term is
more or less obsolete. |
limitation - A
statement of number of copies printed in an
edition. See also
limited edition. |
limited edition - An
edition that is limited to a certain number of copies, is usually
printed and bound luxuriously, and in some cases, may be signed by the
author. The number of copies is given somewhere in the text of the book. |
limp cover - A book
that has a flexible cloth,
leather, or
vellum cover. In the last
quarter of the 18th century and the first quarter of the 19th, limp
leather covers were commonly used for books to be carried in the pocket.
In the 20th century, the primary use was for cheap, educational,
sentimental verse, or devotional books. Also known as limp cloth,
limp binding, limp leather, or limp vellum. |
lithograph - An
illustration printed
from stone, zinc, or other material. |
loose - Refers to the
condition of a book; the text block
is coming loose from the binding
at the hinges. |
loose-leaf - The
binding of individual sheets
of paper in an exchangeable form, for pages to be added, removed, or
relocated in the book. Loose-leaf bindings are used wherever records of
repeatedly changing information must be kept. Instruction manuals,
catalogs, and accounting forms are often loose-leaf bound. Also known
as ring-bound. |
M
made-up - See
doctored. |
manuscript (ms, mss)
- The original text of an author's work, handwritten or typed. It can
also refer to a book or document written before the invention of
printing. |
marbled paper -
Colored paper with a veined, mottled, or swirling pattern, in imitation
of marble, which is used with paper-covered boards and as
end papers in books. The
use of marbled papers was especially popular during the Victorian era. |
margin - The space
between the edge of the page and the printed text. Sometimes in binding,
the margins are trimmed or cropped. |
mint - Refers to the
condition of a book; it is either a brand new copy, or in the same new
and unblemished condition as when it was first published. Many
booksellers and collectors dislike using this term and prefer to use "as
new" in describing this condition. See also
bright copy. |
misbound - An
illustration, map, or a
number of pages that have been incorrectly folded, bound in the wrong
place, or bound in upside down. |
modern firsts -
First editions of a book
published in the 20th century. |
morocco - Leather
made from goatskin with a characteristic grain pattern. Straight-grained
morocco was popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
|
mottled calf - Calf
leather that has been sprinkled with copperas acid, a chemical used in
tanning, giving it a mottled or spotted effect. |
mounted - Damaged
leaves,
illustrations, maps,
and/or photographs that have been strengthened by backing with paper or
thin cloth. Also describes an illustration that has been mounted, or
tipped, onto a blank page. |
N
near fine - See
condition guide.
|
no date (nd) - No
publication date is printed in the book. |
no place (np) - No
place of publication is printed in the book |
O
octavo - Refers to
the size of the book; the most common book size since the early 17th
century, an octavo book averages about 6 x 9 inches. The term originally
to referred to the number of folds (8) in a standard book-printing
sheet, but it now commonly refers to size. |
offprint - An excerpt
of a larger publication which has been printed and bound separately for
promotional purposes. For example, publishers will print and bound a
chapter of a book to send to booksellers or for the author to give away
before the entire book is published. Scholarly excerpts are another
example; a portion of a large journal piece printed for a professor to
distribute. Offprints are highly sought after by collectors because,
technically, they can be considered a first separate edition of the work
and will often have a
presentation inscription. |
offset - The light
image of transferred ink or an imprint that comes from an adjoining text
page or illustration, or an inserted paper. This transference is not
done on purpose and can be caused by humidity, acid from the inserted
paper, or if the ink wasn't dry when the book was bound. |
out of print (op) - A
publication that is no longer available through the publisher. |
out-of-series -
Unnumbered editions from a numbered limited edition series. They are
considered "extra copies" of the edition, are usually not signed, and
are not considered part of the
limited edition series. |
P
pagination - The
sequence of the numbered pages in a book. |
pamphlet - A small
work that is less than book-length, has
paper wraps, and typically
has a staple binding. Also known as brochure. |
pannelled - Ruled
lines forming a square border or frame on a binding, which is done in
gilt or
blind. Also known as
compartments. |
paperback - A book
with a paper cover. Sir Allen Lane, founder of Penguin books, was
credited with inventing the modern paperback when he published Ariel
by Andre Maurois with a paper cover in 1936. Also known as
wrappers. |
paper boards - A
binding made of stiff cardboard that is covered in paper. |
paper wraps - Paper
covers of a book. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with
paperback. |
parchment - A stiff
material made of sheep or goat skin that is used for bindings and for
legal documents and manuscripts. Material that is made of paper but
looks and feels similar to the skin material can also be called
parchment. |
parts - Novels that
are published in separate installments, typically in a magazine or
journal. Works of many popular writers of the 19th century, such as
Charles Dickens, were published in parts. Also known as part issues. |
pastedown - The half
of the endpaper that is pasted to the inside cover of a book. |
perfect bound - A
binding method that utilizes a plastic glue to bind the loose
leaves to the solid
text block of a book. It is
used for paperback books. |
photogravure - A
photographic image produced from an engraving plate, which gives it an
art quality of a lithograph. The process was developed in the 1850s but
is rarely used today because of the high cost. |
pictorial cloth - A
cloth book with a multi-colored picture printed on the cover. |
pictorial paper cover
- An Illustration printed on a paperback cover. This decorative practice
began in the early 1850s, with the publication of Letters Left at the
Pastry-Cook's by J.S. Mayhew, and was the precursor of the next
trend in publishing--yellowbacks.
The sensational pictorial paper cover novels of the later 19th and 20th
centuries are famous for their lurid, colorful covers. Also known as
illustrated wraps. |
pigskin - A durable
leather binding, usually decorated in
blind. |
pirated edition - An
unauthorized edition that is usually sold abroad without payment to the
author. Also known as pirate edition. |
plate - A full-page
book illustration that is separate from the text pages. Technically,
illustrations that are printed on text pages are called cuts.
However, the term "plate" is often used to describe both types of book
illustrations. |
points - Facts and
characteristics of the printing and binding of a book that may help
indicate the priority of issue. |
poor
- See condition guide. |
portfolio - A
portable case used to protect loose papers,
plates,
pamphlets, and the like. It
usually consists of two boards with a wide cloth or paper joint forming
the "spine." Can also refer to an artist's body of work. |
preliminary pages
(prelims) - The first pages of the book that appear before the text
begins. |
presentation copy - A
book with an inscription which shows that it was a gift from the author
or publisher. See also
inscribed copy. |
printer's blanks -
See blanks. |
printing - The total
number of copies of a book, or another type of publication, printed at
one time. For example, an edition of a book can have a first printing of
5,000 copies and a second printing of 2,000. See also
edition. |
price clipped - The
inside front corner of dust jacket has the price cut off. |
pristine condition -
A book in its original condition, unchanged in any way. |
private press - A
small establishment that is not associated with a large publishing
house. Private presses decide which works they will print, frequently do
their own press work, and print editions in limited numbers of copies. |
privately printed - A
work printed at the expense of the author or some other private
individual or group. |
proofs -
Traditionally, a printed trial-run of the work, bound or unbound, which
is used for proofreading and to determine if changes need to be made in
the text. The typical publishing process is proof,
advance reading copy, and
publication. However, bound proofs are also used for pre-publication
publicity and are often sent out in place of advance reading copies to
booksellers and reviewers. Also known as galley, galley proof,
page proof, and uncorrected proof. |
provenance - The
history of the previous owners of a book.
Bookplates, notes and other
writings in the book, and inserted matter, may determine provenance.
|
Q
quarter-bound - A
book with a leather spine and with the sides bound in paper or cloth. |
quality paperback
- See
trade paperback. |
quarto - Refers to
the size of a book; the book measures about 9 by 12 inches. Also
known as 4to. |
R
rag book - A
children's book printed on and bound with cloth fabric. |
raised band - The
visibly raised areas on a book
spine where the cords, which attach the cover boards, are passed
through. May also refer to fake raised bands on decorative bindings.
Also known as raised cord. See also
false band. |
raised cord
- See raised band.
|
rare - Traditionally,
a publication is "rare" if an active collector or bookseller expects to
see it in the marketplace only once in a great while. |
reading copy - Refers
to the condition of the book; the text is readable and complete, but the
binding is in poor condition and the
text block should probably be
rebound. |
rebacked - The book
has been given a new spine and the hinges have been fixed. This process
mends a book when the hinges
are weak and the spine is worn
and cracked. See also
rebound and
recased. |
rebound - The
original binding of the book has been removed and a new binding has been
attached and re-sewn. See also
rebacked and
recased. |
recased - The
text block of the book has been
put into a new binding. The
process usually requires new endpapers and gluing but not re-sewing of
the binding. See also
rebacked and rebound. |
recto - The front of
the leaf; the page that lies to
the right in an open book. Rectos are the odd-numbered pages. Also
known as recto page. See also
verso. |
reinforced dust jacket
- A dust jacket that has been strengthened with tape by the previous
owner. |
reinforced library
binding - See library
binding. |
re-issue - A term
encompassing all types of a reprinting of a work; it can be a later
printing of a book, which is
substantially unchanged, or an entirely new edition, such as a
cloth edition re-issued as a
paperback edition. |
remainder - Books
that are discounted from the publisher because of over-printing or lack
of sales, or because the book has been revised. They are often sold to
booksellers in bulk and usually have
remainder marks on the
outside edge or binding of the book. |
remainder mark - A
publisher's written mark on a book indicating it is a remainder. It is
usually done with a permanent pen, stamp, or spray paint on the outside
edge or on the binding of the book. |
reprint - A new
impression from the same
type setting, or a new edition
of the work. |
re-sized - Usually
means that all of the pages in the book have been "washed" and sizing
material, such as gelatin or glue, has been re-applied. The washing may
have been done to remove stains, writing, or acid from the pages. Sizing
provides a protective finish and makes flimsy paper stiff. |
review copy - A copy
of a book sent out for review by the publisher to the press,
booksellers, and others in order to attract attention to the
publication. Frequently review copies will have slips of paper inserted
into the book, or have it written on the cover, announcing it as a
review copy. Textbook review copies are also known as "desk copies" or
"instructor copies" and are given to instructors to review for
consideration for adoption of the regular edition. See also
advance reading copy. |
ringbound - See
loose-leaf. |
roan - A soft,
flexible, sheepskin binding. This durable, yet cheap, leather material
came in to use around 1790 as a replacement for the more expensive
morocco leather, and is not
known for its elegance. |
rough - Unpolished
suede-like leather, which was primarily used for binding of reference
books, music scores, working manuals, and similar books, since the 18th
century. Also known as reversed calf. |
rubbed - Refers to
condition; the spine or cover has visible scuff marks and may be worn in
places. |
rule - A continuous
line, thick or thin, that is used in decorative printing. In the 1800s
and early 1900s, title pages
were often enclosed in plain rule-borders. The term can also apply to a
decorative line on a binding,
which may be in blind or gilt. |
S
saddle stitching -
The process of securing and binding the pages of a publication through
the center fold with wire staples. The term "saddle" derives from the
saddle of the binding machine. |
scarce -
Traditionally, a "scarce" publication isn't as hard to find as a
rare publication, but might take
a few years to locate. |
scuffed - Refers to
condition; the binding or cover has been scraped and might look rough or
slightly frayed in places. |
serialization - A
work of fiction that is printed in successive parts first in a magazine
and then in book form, or is printed as a book and then printed in
successive parts in a magazine. |
series author - An
author whose work consists of series titles. Kevin J. Anderson, author
of Star Wars; Young Jedi Knights, is an example. |
series title -
A collective title for a successive group of publications with a common
theme or subject, which are usually published by the same publisher but
not necessarily by the same author. Star Wars, Sweet Valley High,
and Goosebumps are examples of series titles. |
set - A group of
publications with a common theme that are released, usually at the same
time, by one publisher. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
(12 Volume Set) by Charlotte Porter and Helen A. Clarke (eds.) is an
example. |
sewn - A pamphlet
that has been sewn together and was not originally bound with boards.
Offprints are typically
sewn. |
shaken - Refers to
condition; a cloth or leather
bound book that is loose in its
covers but is still attached to its binding. |
sheep - A common,
inexpensive binding material that was used primarily for children's
books, verse, and other small books. |
sheet music -
Compositions printed on unbound paper. |
shelf worn - Refers
to condition; the book shows visible signs of wearing on the binding
and/or edges due to numerous removals and placements on countless
shelves. |
signature - A group
of folded pages that, when bound and trimmed with other signatures, form
a book or pamphlet. Also known as gathering. Also refers to a
person's self-handwritten name (autograph signature). |
slipcase - A box open
on one side so that when a book is slipped into it, the spine shows. |
soft cover -
Typically is synonymous with
paperback, but it can also describe a book with a
limp cover or a
flex-cover. |
solander case - A box
used to preserve books; the back is hinged so the front falls down and
is kept closed by a latch. It was invented by an assistant librarian,
Daniel Charles Solander (1732-1782), for the preservation of botanical
specimens in the British Museum. |
spine - The part of
the book opposite of the opening, which is visible when the book is
shelved. Also known as back, backstrip, and shelfback. See
book anatomy section for
illustration. |
spine lean - See
cocked. |
spiralbound - An
inexpensive type of binding utilizing wire or plastic coils as the
spine. It is an increasingly popular way for small publishers to publish
a work or for an author to quickly self-publish. Known also as
comb or coil bound. |
sprung - Refers to
condition; the text block is
separate from its binding. |
stamping - See
blind stamp. |
stapled - A binding
method that uses metal staples to secure the pages, typically for
binding magazines and pamphlets.
Also known as saddle stitching. |
started - Refers to
condition; a portion of the pages are protruding beyond the
fore-edge of the book. The
pages are coming loose from the
binding but are still attached. Not as loose as
shaken. The most common use is
to describe a condition that "starting" to happen, for instance, a crack
that's beginning to happen to a hinge. |
state - Minor changes
made to a portion of the edition
during the manufacturing stage and before all of the books were complete
and released. The changes can be intentional. For example, a different
state may be caused by a correction in the text or
illustrations, an
insertion of cancels or
advertisements, or a different paper used without the intention of
creating a separate issue. The
changes can also be accidental; for example, a variation in the text or
illustrations might occur during the printing. The term does not refer
to condition. |
stitched binding -
Sewing, through the center fold by means of thread, was done to secure
the signatures and to bind
the publication. |
straight grain morocco
- Morocco leather with an
artificial straight-line pattern, which is usually used in more
expensive bindings. |
stub - a narrow strip
of paper on the inside margin, between
leaves of a book. Usually
evidence that a plate or other
matter has been removed or that there is an
illustration attached
into the binding. |
subtitle - A
secondary and explanatory title used to explain more about the book. |
sunned
- Refers to condition; the pages or
dust jacket is faded from
exposure to sunlight. |
suppressed - A part
of a book that was held back after being published; i.e, a chapter that
existed in the first printing,
does not appear in the second. It also can describe an entire
publication withdrawn from circulation, because of various reasons
including political, legal, or perhaps the belated regrets of the
author. |
T
text block - The
signatures of a book, sewn
and trimmed, but without covers,
endpapers, or a
binding. Also known as
book block. |
three-quarters binding
- A binding in which the
spine and corners are
generously covered with leather. The rest of the binding material is
different, i.e., cloth, marbled paper, another type of leather. |
tight back - The book
that is bound very tight with an inflexible
spine, almost to a fault
because when it opens, the pages will not lie flat by themselves.
However, as the book becomes well used, the
binding will eventually
loosen. The use of the tight back declined dramatically after about
1820, except by fine binders who often used it along with
false raised bands. Also
known as fast back. |
tipped-in - A
publisher-authorized content correction that is made after a book has
been printed and bound. It can be as small as a scrap of paper to
correct type, or as large as a page or a
signature to correct a
section. The corrected page or illustration is glued onto the page or
inserted into an already bound book. They are less common today with the
advanced printing techniques, but were very common in the 17th and 18th
centuries due to numerous printer errors. Also known as cancels.
|
tissue - A thin sheet
of paper inserted into a book to protect
plates from damage and to
prevent offsetting onto facing
pages. |
title page - The page
of a book, which contains the name of the author(s), the title, and
usually the publisher's name and the date and place of publication. |
tooling - The
decoration on a binding.
|
top edge gilt (t.e.g.)
- The top edge of the book is coated with gold leaf. |
trade cloth - The
regular cloth edition of a
book, not a limited edition. |
trade edition - The
regular edition of a book,
not a limited edition. |
trade paperback - A
soft cover edition of a
book that generally has a high-quality
binding and is in a larger
size format than a traditional paperback. Also known as quality
paperback. |
typescript - A
typewritten copy of a work. It may be the author's original copy, a
typewritten copy of the manuscript, or a typewritten copy done by a
professional typist. See also
manuscript. |
U
uncorrected proof -
See proofs. |
uncut - See
deckle edges. |
underlining - The pen
or pencil markings where the previous owner marked the book to highlight
words, sentences, and/or passages of text. |
unopened - The folded
edges of the signatures
have not been cut open for reading. The book has been left in the
beginning stages of its binding process or it was issued in this manner. |
unpaginated (unpag) -
The pages of the publication are unnumbered. |
unsophisticated -
Refers to condition; the book is fairly worn and has not been repaired.
It can also refer to an incomplete
manuscript that has been
completed by using a different source or by someone besides the author.
Unsophisticated can also refer to a book or pamphlet that is
manufactured in an amateurish manner. |
V
variant - Refers to a
minor difference between
printings, usually on the
title page or on the
endpapers. |
vellum - A fine
parchment made from calfskin, lambskin, or kidskin, not tanned but
treated with chemicals to make it suitable for writing and printing on
and for binding. Can also refer to heavy off-white fine-quality paper
resembling this parchment. |
verso - The back of
the leaf; the page that lies to
the left in an open book. Versos are the odd-numbered pages. Also
known as recto page. See also
recto. |
very good
- See condition guide.
|
volume - A book or
periodical that is part of a series or a set. The volume notation can be
a number, letter, or a similar form. |
W
with all faults (w.a.f.)
- A description used mostly by auctioneers and booksellers to describe
books that are suspected of being imperfect. The term is used to warn
the buyer that the item may not be returned for any reason. It is, in
other words, sold "as is." |
warped - Refers to
condition; the boards or paperback covers are bent and twisted.
|
washed - When a map,
print, or pages of a book are cleaned in a mild chemical solution to
remove stains, writing, or acid from the pages. See also
re-sized. |
watermark -
Translucent letters or a design in a sheet of paper. Usually can be seen
only by holding the sheet to the light. |
waterstained - Refers
to condition; discoloration, stains, and possible shrinkage on the
pages, binding, and
text-block, from water. |
wire coil - An
inexpensive type of binding material used to make a
spine on a
spiralbound book. Also
known as wire comb. |
wire comb - See
wire coil. |
wood engraving -
See woodcut. |
woodcut - An
illustration made from a highly polished block of wood. Also known as
wood engraving. See also cut. |
worming - Refers to
condition; small holes or tracks in the paper or
bindings, which is made by
burrowing insects. Since the worm normally eats directly through the
pages, its track is occasionally useful in detecting
doctored copies. |
wove paper - A paper
that has been made on a fine-mesh mold which, when held to the light,
shows no marks or lines. It has been the typical paper used in
bookbinding since the early 19th century. |
wrappers - A book
with a printed or plain paper binding. Also known as paperback
and wraps. |
Y
yapp - A style of
binding where the edges of the paper extend beyond all three edges of a
book. It is named after a London bookseller who invented it around 1860,
and is mostly used for books of devotion and verse. |
yellowed - Usually
refers to the yellow fore-edges
and pages of paperbacks,
which is caused either by fading,
age and/or acid in the paper. |
yellowback - An
inexpensive mid-1800s English
paperback novel usually sold in railway stations. The paper
bindings were usually, but
not always yellow. |
|